Shaft-driving mechanism.



No. 726,409. PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

A. L. GUSHMAN. SHAFT DRIVING MEGHANISMQ APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

'INE uonms PETERS cov Pnm'uuma, WASHVNGYON. u. c.

h l w 0 n I/I'll I I H H WITNESSES UNITED Stratus arnnrr rricnt OFONE-HALF TO BENJAMIN A.

HAMPSHIRE.

KIMBALL, OF CONCORD, NEW

SHAFT DRWBNG MECHANESWL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.726,409, dated April 28, 1903, Application filed August 11, 1902. SerialNo.'119, 177. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABE LINCOLN CUSHMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Concord, in the county of Merrimack and State of NewHampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shaft-DrivingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a shaft driving mechanism; and its object is toprovide a compact, self-contained, convenient, and economical drivingmechanism suitable for any shaft, but especially useful for drivingacounter-shaft, such as a lathe-counter, where the rotation isrequired tobe reversed at will. When a counter-shaft is driven in the usual mannerby main shaftin g and belting, a large amount of power is expended inthe mere driving of the main shafting and belting. Furthermore, a largeamount of power is ex pended in the driving of the main shafting whileno other work is being done. Another disadvantage is that the locationof the counter-shaft is dependent upon the location of the mainshafting, and the best position for a machine to be driven by thecounter-shaft with reference to light and convenience often has to besacrificed. To overcome these difficulties and to accomplish the objectsherein named, I have devised a driving mechanism which entirely doesaway with main shafting and belting and in which the counter-shaft isdriven through gearing by a motor which can be started and stopped atwill. I thereby provide aself-contained, independent, and portablemachine capable of being placed in any desired position, unrestricted bythe position of the main shafting and belting, and one in which the lossof power not used in effective work is reduced to a minimum.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of my improved drivingmechanism, the motor-casing being shown in plan view. Fig. 2 isa'vertical cross-section through line m to in Fig. 1, the motor-casingbeing shown in side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view, enlarged, of afriction-clutch used in my mechanism; and Fig. 4 shows in side elevationthe friction-band or friction-collar used in said clutch.

Like parts are indicated by like letters of reference in all thefigures.

A represents a counter-shaftsupported by and journaled in hangers in theusual man- One of the hangers is shown at S.

B is the casing of an electric motor, and C is the armature-shaft ormotor-shaft. The motor is of usual construction and is not shownin-detail.

D and D are a pair of opposite bevel-gears loosely mounted upon theshaft A and provided with hubs d and d.

E is a pinion secured to the motor-shaft C, meshing with both gears Dand D and adapted to rotate said gears in opposite directions.

T is a sleeve loosely mounted upon the counter-shaft A between the gearsD and D, provided with a socket projection U, into which the end of themotor-shaft C projects, and is held centered with the axis of the shaftA, thus holding the pinion and gears accurately and firmly in meshagainst any tendency of the pinion toclimb or jar out of place.

H is a sleeve or hub secured to the counter-shaft A by means of theset-screw h, carrying a friction-clutch of any desired character adaptedto engage with the gear D, and thereby to rotate the shaft A.

The clutch shown in the drawings is constructed as follows: The hub H,secured by set-screw h or in any suitable manner to the shaft A, isprovided atone end with an enlarged cylindrical, chamber N, (see Fig.3,) within which is located the friction band or collar X. On one sideof the chamber N is the enlargement M, having the opening 0, adapted toaccommodate the lever J'and lug t. The friction band or collar X, asshown, is a split band extending twice around the hub cl, the two partsbeing connected by the bridge Y. (See'Fig. 4.) The free ends of thefriction-collar are provided with the lugs 45 and 70, respectively. Oneof these lugs, i, has a bevel face, as shown in Fig. 3.

J is a clutch-controlling lever fulcrumed within the opening 0 andhaving the bevel face j,corresponding with and adjacent to the bevelface of the lug i,

L is a shipper having a bevel or conical surface Z and is looselymounted upon the shaft A. The end of the arm of the lever J rests inengagement with the conical surface Z of the loosely-mounted shipper L.The shipper L may be operated by any convenient means, as by the shipperrod or handle R, pivoted at r, and connected with the shipper L by themember R and the connectingbar R R and L are respectively the connectingmember and shipper at the opposite end of the mechanism corresponding toR and L. It will be seen that by the swing of the shipper-rod R theshippers L and L may be moved longitudinally along the shaft A tooperate the clutches. The opposite bevel-gear D is provided with aclutch similar to that just described. The inward longitudinal movementof the shipper L oscillates the clutchcontrolling lever J, which causesthe bevel facej of the lever to engage with the bevelfaced lug '5,thereby clamping the friction-collar to a hub d of the gear D, so thatthe clutch and the shaft will rotate with the gear D. The reversemovement of the shipper L will release its clutch, and a continuedmovement will engage the other clutch with the hub 61. Opposite to theenlargement M of the chamber N is the enlargement P, having the openingQ, adapted to accommodate the lug 7c on the friction-collar. Therequired friction between the collar X and the hub d may be regulated bytightening or loosening the band X when in its normal or inoperativeposition by means of the set-screw p, which works in a threadedperforation in the side of the enlargement P and engages with the lug onthe friction-collar.

n is a check-nut by which the set-screw is clamped in position after ithas been adjusted. The lateral play of the lug Zcwithin the opening Q issufficient to permit some latitude in the tension at which thefrictionband may be set.

It will thus be seen that when the motor is operating the gears D and ,Dwill revolve idly upon the counter-shaftA in opposite directions, thatby the swing of the shipperrod B one of the friction-clutches will bethrown into engagement with its corresponding gear and the shaft will becaused to rotate in the direction of that gear, and that to reverse therotation of the counter-shaft the shipper-rod may be swung in theopposite direction, thus releasing the first friction-clutch andthrowing the opposite clutch into en gagement with its correspondinggear.

Z and Z are rigid braces, constituting a yoke firmly secured to thebearing of the motor-shaft and terminating in sleeves loosely mountedupon the shaft A. Said yoke prevents any play or jar of the motor-shaftout of a plane perpendicular to the countershaft A.

F is a wire or red by which the motor is suspended from a beam, ceiling,or any suit-' able point by means of an eyebolt or other convenientmeans. A suspension-cord may be used, if desired. A motor thus suspendedin operative position with relation to the counter-shaft which it isdesigned to drive has many advantages over a motor supported by a rigidbracket or in like manner. The motor is not limited to a single fixedposition, but may be placed in any position which convenience requireswithin a plane perpendicular to the counter-shaft. Moreover, thesupportbeing flexible rather than rigid, any jar or vibration of thecounter-shaft will be absorbed by the yielding support of the motor andwill not prevent the proper meshing of the gears and pinion, which mightbe interfered with if the motor were rigidly supported.

What 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a counter-shaft,driving mechanism thereforcomprising a motor, its yoke, said yoke hung to the counter-shaft androtatable to any desired position thereon, a motor-shaft, pinionthereon, a pair of gears loosely mounted on the counter-shaft andadapted to be driven in opposite directions by the pinion, clutches onthe counter-shaft, and shipper mechanism to engage the clutchesalternately with their respective gears.

2. The combination with a counter-shaft, of a driving mechanismtherefor, comprising a motor, a motor-shaft centered with the line ofaxis of the counter-shaft by a sleeve loosely mounted on thecounter-shaft having a socketbearingfor the end of the motor-shaft, thesaid sleeve, a pair of gears loosely mounted on the counter-shaft andadapted to be operated in opposite directions by said pinion,

friction-clutches secured to the counter-shaft,

and adapted to engage with said looselymounted gears, and a shipperadapted to operate the said friction-clutches, whereby the counter-shaftmay be rotated in either direction.

3. The combination with a counter-shaft, of a driving mechanism thereforcomprising a motor, a suspension-support for the motor, a motor-shaftcentered with the axis of the counter-shaft by means of a sleeve looselymounted on the counter-shaft havinga socket into which the end of themotor-shaft projects, a yoke between the motor and countershaftrotatable thereon to any desired position, a pinion on the motor-shaft,a pair of gears loosely mounted on the counter-shaft, and adapted to beoperated in opposite directions by said pinion, clutches secured to thecounter-shaft, and means for engaging said clutches with said looselymounted gears, whereby said counter-shaft may be rotated in eitherdirection, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a driving-shaft; a driven shaft; a pair of gearson one of said shafts; a pinion-gear on the other shaft mesh- IIO IIR'

igo

ing with the two gears; a yoke hung on one Signed by me at Concord, NewHampshire, of said shafts so as to be rotatable thereon to this 30th dayof June, 1902.

any desired position, and on which the other shaft is mounted; amotorconnected with the ABE LINCOLN GUSHMAN 5 driving-shaft; clutches for thepair of gears, Witnessesz' and shipper mechanism to engage the clutchesMARGARET A. MCGUIRE, alternately with their respective gears. NAPOLEONB. HALE.

